Optical glass, precision press-molding preform and optical element

ABSTRACT

Provided is an optically uniform and high-quality optical glass that is free from the occurrence of striae when a precision press-molding preform is produced therefrom, and that is a fluorine-containing glass having a refractive index nd (1)  wherein the refractive index nd (1)  and a refractive index nd (2)  are substantially equivalent to each other, said refractive index nd (2)  being a refractive index of the fluorine-containing glass after the fluorine-containing glass is re-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C. for 1 hour, cooled to its glass transition temperature and then cooled to 25° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 30° C./hour.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/516,670filed Sep. 7, 2006, now allowed, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,158,541 which inturn is a claims priority of JP 2005-267547 filed Sep. 14, 2005, theentire content of each of which is hereby incorporated by referenceherein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an optical glass, a precisionpress-molding preform formed of the optical glass, a process for theproduction of the preform, an optical element formed of the opticalglass and a process for the production of the optical element.

BACKGROUND ART

As a method for producing an optical element formed of a glass bypress-molding without grinding or polishing, a precision press-moldingis known. This method is a method in which optical elements that are noteasily produced by grinding and polishing such as aspherical lenses,microlenses, diffraction gratings, etc., are highly productivelymass-produced by accurately transferring the form of inner surface of apress mold to each glass material that is being molded.

The glass material to be molded by the precision press-molding method iscalled a preform, and it is a glass shaped material formed of a glasshaving a weight accurately equivalent to the weight of a press-moldedproduct. When the steps from the melting of a glass up to the formationof an optical element are viewed as a series of process, theproductivity of the process as a whole can be more improved if a preformcan be shaped directly from a molten glass.

Meanwhile, a fluorine-containing glass such as fluorophosphate glass orthe like is a very useful optical glass as a low-dispersion glass, andas this fluorophosphate optical glass, a glass as described in JapaneseNational Publication of Translated Version No. 3-500162 is known.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

When a precision press-molding preform (to be sometimes referred to as“glass shaped material” hereinafter) is produced by heating and meltingglass raw materials and shaping the obtained molten glass, afluorine-containing glass such as the above conventional fluorophosphateglass causes the volatilization of fluorine in the glass through ahigh-temperature glass surface, so that a preform as an end product hasan optically non-uniform portion called striae in a layer in thevicinity of the surface.

There is therefore involved a problem that the preform can be used as amaterial for producing an optical element only when the surface layer ofthe preform is removed by some method.

Further, apart from the production of the above preform, the shaping ofa plate-shaped glass or a rod-shaped glass from a molten glass causes alike problem that a highly volatile substance volatilizes through ahigh-temperature glass surface to cause striae.

As described above, there has been a problem that when afluorine-containing glass is produced by heating and melting glass rawmaterials, the optical uniformity of the glass is impaired.

The present invention has been made for overcoming the above problems.It is an object of the present invention to provide an optically uniformand high-quality fluorine-containing optical glass. Further, it isanother object of the present invention to provide a precisionpress-molding preform formed of the above optical glass and a processfor the production thereof. It is further another object of the presentinvention to provide an optical element formed of the above opticalglass and a process for the production thereof.

Means to Solve the Problems

For achieving the above objects, the present invention provides thefollowing (1) to (17).

(1) an optical glass that is a fluorine-containing glass having arefractive index nd⁽¹⁾, wherein the refractive index nd⁽¹⁾ and arefractive index nd⁽²⁾ are substantially equivalent to each other, saidrefractive index nd⁽²⁾ being a refractive index of thefluorine-containing glass after the fluorine-containing glass isre-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C. for 1 hour, cooled to itsglass transition temperature and then cooled to 25° C. at a temperaturedecrease rate of 30° C./hour.

(2) An optical glass as recited in the above (1), wherein the absolutevalue of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ is 0.00300 or less.

(3) An optical glass as recited in the above (1) or (2), wherein thefluorine-containing glass is a fluorophosphate glass.

(4) An optical glass as recited in the above (3), wherein thefluorophosphate glass comprises, by cationic %,

5 to 50% of P⁵⁺,

0.1 to 40% of Al³⁺,

0 to 20% of Mg²⁺,

0 to 25% of Ca²⁺,

0 to 30% of Sr²⁺,

0 to 30% of Ba²⁺,

0 to 30% of Li⁺,

0 to 10% of Na⁺,

0 to 10% of K⁺,

0 to 10% of Y³⁺,

0 to 5% of La³⁺ and

0 to 5% of Gd³⁺.

(5) An optical glass as recited in the above (3) or (4), wherein themolar ratio of content of F⁻ to the total content of F⁻ and O²⁻,F⁻/(F⁻+O²⁻), is from 0.25 to 0.95.

(6) An optical glass as recited in any one of the above (3) to (5),which contains 2 to 30 cationic % of Li⁺.

(7) An optical glass as recited in any one of the above (1) to (6),which has a refractive index nd⁽¹⁾ of 1.40000 to 1.60000 and an Abbe'snumber (νd) of 67 or more.

(8) An optical glass as recited in the above (3), wherein thefluorophosphate glass contains Cu²⁺.

(9) An optical glass as recited in the above (8), which comprises, bycationic %,

11 to 45% of P⁵⁺,

0 to 29% of Al²⁺,

0 to 43% of total of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺,

14 to 50% of total of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Zn²⁺ and

0.5 to 13% of Cu²⁺

and further comprises, by anionic %,

17 to 80% of F⁻.

(10) An optical glass as recited in the above (1) or (2), wherein thefluorine-containing glass is a fluoroborate glass or fluorosilicateglass.

(11) A precision press-molding preform formed of the optical glassrecited in any one of the above (1) to (10).

(12) A precision press-molding preform as recited in the above (11),whose entire surface is a surface formed by solidification of a glasssurface in a molten state.

(13) A process for the production of a precision press-molding preform,which comprises causing a molten glass of the optical glass recited inany one of the above (1) to (10) to flow out, separating a molten glassgob and shaping the glass gob into the preform during the cooling of theglass.

(14) An optical element formed of the optical glass recited in any oneof the above (1) to (10).

(15) A process for the production of an optical element, which comprisesheating the precision press-molding preform recited in the above (11) or(12) or a precision press-molding preform obtained by the processrecited in the above (13) and precision press-molding the precisionpress-molding preform in a press mold.

(16) A process for the production of an optical element as recited inthe above (15), wherein the precision press-molding preform isintroduced into the press mold and the precision press-molding preformand the press mold are heated together to carry out the precisionpress-molding.

(17) A process for the production of an optical element as recited inthe above (15), wherein the precision press-molding preform heatedseparately is introduced into the press mold heated to carry out theprecision press-molding.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present invention, there can be provided afluorine-containing optical glass that is suitable for producing ahigh-quality precision press-molding preform from a molten glass andfurther that is suitable for producing an optical element by precisionpress-molding the thus-produced preform.

According to the present invention, further, there can be provided aprecision press-molding preform formed of the above optical glass and aprocess for the production thereof, and there can be provided an opticalelement formed of the above optical glass and a process for theproduction thereof.

Further, there can be also provided an optical glass that does not muchvary in optical properties such as a refractive index, etc., when it ismelted and molded since the optical glass has the content of a volatilesubstance decreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a precision press-molding apparatusused in Examples.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

When an attempt is made to produce a preform formed of afluorine-containing glass such as a fluorophosphate glass by meltingglass raw materials, intense volatilization takes place through themolten glass surface, and striae are caused in the vicinity of thepreform surface due to the volatilization. When an easily volatilesubstance in a glass to be used for forming the preform is decreased bysome means, it can be expected that the striae is overcome since thevolatilization is suppressed. When the content of the easily volatilesubstance is decreased, the glass to be demanded may change incomposition per se.

The present inventors have made studies for a method for overcoming thestriae by decreasing the concentration of a volatile substance in aglass while a demanded glass composition is realized, and some pieces ofknowledge have been obtained. Such pieces of knowledge of the presentinventors' are as follows.

(1) It is considered that volatile substance and non-volatile substanceare present in a molten glass obtained by melting glass raw materialsunder heat.

(2) The volatile substance in the glass is generated when the glass rawmaterials are melted under heat, and it is considered that the volatilesubstance is thereafter no longer generated or that the amount thereofis negligible as compared with the amount of the volatile substancegenerated when the raw materials are melted under heat even if such isgenerated.

(3) For decreasing the concentration of the volatile substance, it issufficient to volatilize the volatile substance from a molten glassaccumulated in a vessel. It is required to stop the glass from flowingout before the concentration of the volatile substance is fullydecreased.

(4) A preform is produced by shaping the molten glass in which theconcentration of the volatile substance is decreased, and the preform isgradually cooled and re-heated to melt it. In this case, it isconsidered that the concentration of the volatile substance does notincrease since the glass formation from the raw materials is alreadycompleted by the initial melting. In effect, even when a glass in whichthe concentration of the volatile substance has been decreased asdescribed above is re-melted, almost no volatilization is observed.

(5) It is not easy to ascertain whether or not the concentration of thevolatile substance is decreased to a level at which the striae aresufficiently reduced. It is theoretically thinkable to employ a methodin which a volatile substance is identified and measured for aconcentration or a method in which a volatile substance that volatilizesfrom a re-melted glass is measured for an amount per unit volume of theglass and the ascertaining is made on the basis of the amount. However,these methods are not practical.

The glass of the present invention is fortunately an optical glass, andthe refractive index is hence highly precisely determined.

The refractive index of the glass reflects its composition, and therefractive index changes with a change in the composition. A change inthe concentration of the volatile substance means a very small change inthe composition. In the optical glass of which the refractive index ishighly precisely determined, however, such a very small change can bemonitored by way of a change in the refractive index. For example, whena glass is measured for a refractive index before and after it isre-melted, and it follows that when a difference between the refractiveindex before the re-melting and the refractive index after there-melting is large, a large amount of the volatile substance remains inthe glass that is to be re-melted, and that when the above differencebetween the refractive indexes is small, the amount of the volatilesubstance is small.

(6) The difference between the refractive index before the re-meltingand the refractive index after the re-melting is linked with theovercoming of the striae, and the refractive index before the re-meltingand the refractive index after the re-melting are brought intosubstantial agreement, more specifically, the absolute value of thedifference between the refractive index before the re-melting and therefractive index after the re-melting is made to be a certain value orless, whereby there can be provided an optical glass that can overcomethe striae.

On the basis of the above inference, the present inventors have measureda glass for refractive indexes before and after the re-melting of theglass to determine a refractive index difference and arranged that theabsolute value of the refractive index difference should be a certainvalue or less, whereby the striae found during the shaping of the glasswere overcome.

The present invention will be specifically explained below.

[Optical Glass]

The optical glass of the present invention is a fluorine-containingglass having a refractive index nd⁽¹⁾, wherein the refractive indexnd⁽¹⁾ and a refractive index nd⁽²⁾ are substantially equivalent to eachother, said refractive index nd⁽²⁾ being a refractive index of thefluorine-containing glass after the fluorine-containing glass isre-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C. for 1 hour, cooled to itsglass transition temperature and then cooled to 25° C. at a temperaturedecrease rate of 30° C./hour.

That the above nd⁽¹⁾ and nd⁽²⁾ are substantially equivalent to eachother means that nd⁽¹⁾ and nd⁽²⁾ approximate to each other such that anoptical glass has no striae.

In the optical glass of the present invention, the absolute value ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ is preferably 0.00300 or less. When the absolute value ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ exceeds 0.00300, striae take place on the surface of apreform when a molten glass is shaped into the preform. When the aboveabsolute value is 0.00300 or less, there can be provided a glassmaterial that can prevent the occurrence of striae. The above absolutevalue is preferably in the range of 0.00200 or less, more preferably0.00150 or less, still more preferably 0.00100 or less. In afluorine-containing glass, fluorine is a component that relativelydecreases the refractive index of the glass, so that the value ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ is generally positive.

As an atmosphere in which the re-melting is carried out for measuringnd⁽²⁾, a nitrogen atmosphere is employed for preventing an influence onthe refractive index of a glass based on a reaction between the glassand the atmosphere. The re-melting is carried out under predeterminedconditions including a temperature of 900° C. and a time period for 1hour, and then the re-melted glass is cooled to its glass transitiontemperature. Since the value of nd⁽²⁾ is also influenced by atemperature decrease rate during the cooling, the cooling is carried outat a predetermined temperature decrease rate of 30° C./hour and there-melted glass is cooled to 25° C.

The refractive index can be measured by a known method, and themeasurement is preferably carried out with an accuracy that thesignificant number of figures is 6 (five figures after the decimalpoint). The measurement of the refractive index can use “Method ofMeasurement of Refractive Index of Optical Glass” of Japan Optical GlassIndustry Society Standard JOGIOS 01-1994.

When a glass has a certain form or volume such as the form of a smallsphere or a thin lens, there are some cases where the glass cannot beprocessed so as to have a form and dimensions specified in the aboveStandard. In such cases, the glass is heated, softened, press-molded andannealed so that the glass has a prism form of which the two surfacesmeet at a predetermined angle. And, the glass is measured for arefractive index on the basis of the same principle as that of the aboveStandard. The temperature for press-molding the glass into a prism formis a glass-softenable temperature at the highest, and this heatingtemperature is considerably lower than a temperature at which the glassis melted, so that the influence of the heating on the concentration ofa volatile substance is negligible and that the amount of a change fromthe refractive index before the above heating to the refractive indexafter the above heating is negligible.

For decreasing or overcoming the striae of the glass, not only adecrease in the concentration of the volatile substance but also adecrease in the molding temperature is effective.

Preferred embodiments of the optical glass of the present invention willbe explained below.

The optical glass of the present invention is formed of afluorine-containing glass, and specific examples of the optical glassinclude a fluorophosphate glass, a fluoroborate glass and afluorosilicate glass. The optical glass that is a fluorophosphate glasswill be referred to as “optical glass I”, and the optical glass that isa fluoroborate glass or a fluorosilicate glass, as “optical glass II”,hereinafter.

The optical glass I that is a fluorophosphate glass has a firstpreferred embodiment (to be referred to as “optical glass I-A”hereinafter) which is an optical glass comprising, by cationic %,

5 to 50% of P⁵⁺,

0.1 to 40% of Al²⁺,

0 to 20% of Mg²⁺,

0 to 25% of Ca²⁺,

0 to 30% of Sr²⁺,

0 to 30% of Ba²⁺,

0 to 30% of Li⁺,

0 to 10% of Na⁺,

0 to 10% of K⁺,

0 to 10% of Y³⁺,

0 to 5% of La³⁺ and

0 to 5% of Gd³⁺.

In the optical glass I-A, the content ratio of F⁻ and O²⁻ as anioniccomponents is preferably such that the molar ratio of F⁻ to the totalcontent of F⁻ and O²⁻, F⁻(F⁻+O²⁻), is from 0.25 to 0.95. When thecontent ratio of the anionic components is determined as describedabove, the glass can be imparted with a low-dispersion property.

The above optical glass I-A can realize optical properties representedby a refractive index nd⁽¹⁾ of 1.40000 to 1.60000 and an Abbe's number(νd) of 67 or more. While the upper limit of the Abbe's number (νd) isnot specially limited, preferably, an upper limit of 100 or less is atarget for stable production of the glass.

The above glass I-A preferably contains at least two components of Ca²⁺,Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ as divalent cationic components (R²⁺).

In the above optical glass I-A, preferably, the total content of Mg²⁺,Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ as divalent cationic components (R²⁺) is 1 cationic% or more, and more preferably the content of each of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺and Ba²⁺ is 1 cationic % or more.

The composition of the above optical glass I-A will be explained below.Contents of cationic components by % hereinafter stand for contentsthereof by cationic % based on molar ratio, and contents of anioniccomponents by % hereinafter stand for contents thereof by anionic %based on molar ratio.

P⁵⁺ is an essential cationic component as a network former of the glass.When the content of P⁵⁺ is less than 5%, the glass is degraded instability. When it is over 50%, the content ratio of oxygen in the glassis increased since it is required to introduce P⁵⁺ in the form of anoxide raw material, so that no intended optical properties are attained.The content of P⁵⁺ is therefore limited to 5 to 50%, and it is morepreferably 5% to 40%, particularly preferably 5% to 35%. When P⁵⁺ isintroduced, it is not proper to use PCl₅ since it corrodes platinum andviolently volatilizes to hinder stable production, and it is preferredto introduce P⁵⁺ in the form of a phosphate.

Al³⁺ is a component that improves the fluorophosphate glass instability. When the content of Al³⁺ is less than 0.1%, the glass isdegraded in stability. When it exceeds 40%, the glass transitiontemperature (Tg) and the liquidus temperature (LT) greatly increase, sothat the shaping temperature increases and that striae are henceintensely generated due to surface volatilization during shaping. It istherefore no longer possible to obtain a uniform glass shaped material,in particular, a press-molding preform. The content of Al³⁺ is thereforelimited to 0.1% to 40%, and it is more preferably 5% to 40%,particularly preferably 10% to 35%.

When introduced, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ as divalent cationiccomponents (R²⁺) contribute to improvement in the stability of theglass. When they are introduced to excess, however, the glass stabilityis degraded, so that the contents of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ arepreferably limited to the following ranges.

First, the content of Mg²⁺ is preferably 0 to 20%, more preferably 1 to20%, still more preferably 5 to 15%, particularly preferably 5 to 10%.

The content of Ca²⁺ is preferably 0 to 25%, more preferably 1 to 25%,still more preferably 5 to 20%, particularly preferably 5 to 16%.

The content of Sr²⁺ is preferably 0 to 30%, more preferably 1 to 30%,still more preferably 5 to 25%, particularly preferably 10 to 20%.

The content of Ba²⁺ is preferably 0 to 30%, more preferably 1 to 30%,still more preferably 1 to 25%, yet more preferably 5 to 25%,particularly preferably 8 to 25%.

It is preferred to introduce at least two components of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺and Ba²⁺ rather than to introduce a single one of them, and it is morepreferred to introduce at least two components of Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺.For further improving the effect produced by the divalent cationiccomponents (R²⁺), it is preferred to adjust the total content of Mg²⁺,Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ to 1 cationic % or more. Further, when the contentof any one of these exceeds its upper limit, the stability is sharplydecreased. While Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺ may be introduced in a relatively largeamount, Mg²⁺ and Ba²⁺ in particular decrease the stability whenintroduced in a large amount. However, Ba²⁺ is a component that realizesa high refractive index while maintaining low-dispersion, so that it ispreferred to introduce Ba²⁺ in a relatively large amount so long as thestability is not impaired.

Li⁺ is a component that decreases the glass transition temperature (Tg)without impairing the stability. However, when the content thereofexceeds 30%, the durability of the glass is impaired and at the sametime the processability is decreased. The content of Li⁺ is thereforelimited to 0 to 30%, and it is preferably in the range of 0 to 25%, morepreferably 0 to 20%.

However, when it is intended in particular to further decrease the glasstransition temperature for use of the glass in precision press-molding,it is preferred to adjust the content of Li⁺ to 2 to 30%, it is morepreferred to adjust the content thereof to 5 to 25%, and it is stillmore preferred to adjust the content thereof to 5 to 20%.

Like Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ has an effect that the glass transition temperature(Tg) is decreased. At the same time, however, they tend to increase thethermal expansion coefficient as compared with Li⁺. NaF and KF has veryhigh solubility in water as compared with LiF and hence degrade theglass in water resistance, so that the content of each of Na⁺ and K⁺ islimited to 0 to 10%. The content of each of Na⁺ and K⁺ is preferably inthe range of 0 to 5%, and it is more preferred to introduce none ofthem.

Y³⁺, La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ have effects that the glass is improved in stabilityand durability and that the refractive index is increased. When thecontent of Y³⁺ is over 10% or the content of each of La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ isover 5%, conversely, the stability is degraded, and the glass transitiontemperature is greatly increased, so that the content of Y³⁺ is limitedto 0 to 10% and the content of each of La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ is limited to 0 to5%. The content of Y³⁺ is preferably in the range of 0 to 5%. Thecontent of each of La³⁺ and Gd³⁺ is preferably in the range of 0 to 3%.

For stable production of a high-quality glass, it is preferred to adjustthe total content of P⁵⁺, Al³⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, Li⁺, Y³⁺, La³⁺and Gd³⁺ to over 95% based on cationic %. The above total content ismore preferably over 98%, still more preferably over 99%, and yet morepreferably 100%.

In addition to the above cationic components, the above optical glassI-A may contain cationic components of Ti, Zr, Zn, lanthanoids and B,etc., so long as the object of the present invention is not impaired.

For obtaining an optical glass that realizes the intended opticalproperties and at the same time has excellent stability, the amountratio of the anionic components is determined such that the molar ratioof content of F⁻ to the total content of F⁻ and O²⁻, F⁻/(F⁻+O²⁻), isfrom 0.25 to 0.95.

The optical glass I-A is excellent not only as a glass for producing anoptical element by grinding and polishing but as a glass for producingan optical element by precision press-molding.

The above optical glass I-A includes one embodiment that is an opticalglass containing 2 to 30 cationic % of Li⁺ (to be referred to as“optical glass I-A-a” hereinafter). In this optical glass I-A-a, theviscosity at the liquidus temperature can be decreased, and the shaping(molding) temperature can be decreased. By introducing 2 cationic % ormore of Li⁺, the shaping temperature of the glass and the glasstransition temperature can be further decreased, and the volatilizationfrom the surface of a preform can be further reduced. When the contentof Li⁺ exceeds 30 cationic %, the glass is degraded in durability andprocessability. In addition, since the temperature for precisionpress-molding can be also decreased by introducing Li⁺, the time periodrequired for heating a preform and the time period required for coolinga press-molded product can be decreased, so that the tact time as awhole can be decreased and that an improvement in throughput is henceattained. Further, since the press-molding temperature is decreased, thereaction between the glass and press mold can be suppressed, so that thesurface state of a press-molded product is rendered excellent and thatthe lifetime of the press mold can be increased.

The optical glass I of the present invention, which is a fluorophosphateglass, exhibits high transmittance in a visible light region except fora case where it contains a colorant. When a 10 mm thick sample havingtwo flat surfaces in parallel with each other is prepared from theoptical glass I and when light is caused to enter perpendicular to theabove two surfaces, the optical glass I exhibits a transmittance exceptfor reflection loss at the sample surface, measured at a wavelength of400 nm to 2,000 nm, of 80% or more, preferably 95% or more.

The above optical glass I-A-a, having the above specified content ofLi⁺, has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 470° C. or lower,preferably 430° C. or lower.

In the above optical glass I-A-a, further, Li⁺ out of alkali metal ionsis actively incorporated, so that the optical glass I-A-a has arelatively small thermal expansion coefficient and also has relativelysuperior water resistance. Therefore, the glass can be processed into apress-molding preform by polishing the glass or processed into anoptical element having a smooth glass surface and a high quality bypolishing.

The above optical glass I-A (including the optical glass I-A-a) exhibitsexcellent water resistance and chemical durability, so that even if aprecision press-molding preform is produced and then stored for a longperiod of time before it is press-molded, the preform surface is notaltered. Further, since the surface of an optical element is not easilyaltered, the optical element can be used in a surface-cloudiness-freestate for a long period of time.

In the optical glass I-A-a, further, the glass melting temperature canbe adjusted to a temperature lower by approximately 50° C. than themelting temperature of a glass having optical constants equivalent tothe above optical glass I-A-a and containing no Li, so that there can bereduced or overcome failures such as the coloring of the glass caused bydissolving of platinum from a melting vessel, the inclusion of bubblesand the occurrence of striae.

Generally, a fluorophosphate glass has a high viscosity when it iscaused to flow out, so that it involves a defect that when a preform isproduced by separating a molten glass gob having a predetermined weightfrom a molten glass that is flowing out, and shaping it, thefluorophosphate glass forms a narrow thread and such a thread-likeportion remains on the surface of the glass gob and forms a projection.When it is attempted to overcome the above defect by decreasing theviscosity of the glass that is flowing out, it is required to increasethe temperature for causing the glass to flow out, and thevolatilization of fluorine from the glass surface is aggravated asdescribed already, so that there is caused a problem that the occurrenceof striae is intensified.

For decreasing the temperature suitable for shaping a molten glass inorder to overcome the above problem, the glass composition of the aboveoptical glass I-A-a is determined such that the temperature at which theglass exhibits a predetermined viscosity is lower than a temperature atwhich a conventional fluorophosphate glass exhibits such a viscosity.While the glass transition temperature is far lower than the temperaturefor shaping a molten glass into a preform, the shaping temperature of aglass having a low glass transition temperature can be also decreased,so that the glass composition is adjusted such that the glass transitiontemperature comes to be in the above range for reducing or overcomingthe problem of thread formation and striae during shaping.

By decreasing the glass transition temperature, further, the temperaturefor heating a glass for press-molding, in particular a precisionpress-molding preform can be decreased as described already, and therecan be hence produced effects that a reaction between the glass andpress mold is moderated and that the lifetime of the press mold can beincreased.

Therefore, the above optical glass I-A-a is suitable as a glass materialfor press-molding, in particular as a glass material for precisionpress-molding, and it is also suitable as a glass material for producingan optical element by grinding and polishing. Preferred embodiments ofthe optical glass I-A-a are the same as those of the optical glass I-Aexcept that the content of Li⁺ is limited to the range specified above.

The optical glass I that is a fluorophosphate glass has a secondpreferred embodiment (to be referred to as “optical glass I-B”hereinafter) which is a fluorophosphate glass containing Cu²⁺ and thisglass works as a near-infrared-absorbing glass. The optical glass I-B issuitable as a color-collecting filter for semiconductor image-sensingdevice such as CCD or CMOS. When the optical glass I-B is used for theabove purpose, it is desirable to adjust the content of Cu²⁺ to 0.5 to13 cationic %.

The optical glass I-B particularly preferably has a compositioncomprising, by cationic %,

11 to 45% of P⁵⁺,

0 to 29% of Al³⁺,

0 to 43% of total of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺,

14 to 50% of total of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Zn²⁺ and

0.5 to 13% of Cu²⁺

and comprising, by anionic %,

17 to 80% of F⁻.

In the above composition, preferably, the other anionic component isentirely O²⁻, and no “other” anionic component excluding O²⁻ is present.

In the above composition, P⁵⁺ is a basic component of thefluorophosphate glass and is an essential component for bringing theabsorption in an infrared region by Cu²⁺. When the content of P⁵⁺ isless than 11%, the color of the glass is degraded and comes to begreenish. When it exceeds 45%, the glass is degraded in weatheringresistance and devitrification resistance. The content of P⁵⁺ istherefore preferably limited to 11 to 45%, and it is more preferably 20to 45%, still more preferably 23 to 40%.

Al³⁺ is a component that improves the fluorophosphate glass indevitrification resistance, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance,mechanical strength and chemical durability. However, when the contentof Al³⁺ exceeds 29%, the glass is degraded in near infrared redabsorption property. The content of Al³⁺ is therefore preferably limitedto 0 to 29%, and it is more preferably 1 to 29%, still more preferably 1to 25%, yet more preferably 2 to 23%.

Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ are components that improve the glass in meltability anddevitrification resistance and improve the glass in transmittance in avisible light region. However, when the total content of thesecomponents exceeds 43%, the glass is degraded in durability andprocessability. The total content of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ is thereforepreferably limited to 0 to 43%, and it is preferably 0 to 40%, morepreferably 0 to 36%.

Of the alkali components, Li⁺ is excellent in the above function, and itis more preferred to adjust the content of Li⁺ to 15 to 30%, and it isstill more preferred to adjust the same to 20 to 30%.

Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Zn²⁺ are useful components that improve theglass in devitrification resistance, durability and processability. Whenthey are introduced to excess, however, the glass is degraded indevitrification resistance. It is therefore preferred to adjust thetotal content of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺ and Zn²⁺ to 14 to 50%, and it ismore preferred to adjust the same to 20 to 40%.

The content of Mg²⁺ is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 10%, morepreferably in the range of 1 to 8%.

The content of Ca²⁺ is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 20%, morepreferably in the range of 3 to 15%.

The content of Sr²⁺ is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 20%, morepreferably in the range of 1 to 15%.

The content of Ba²⁺ is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 20%, morepreferably in the range of 1 to 15%, still more preferably in the rangeof 1 to 10%.

Cu²⁺ is works for the property of absorbing near infrared. When thecontent of Cu²⁺ is less than 0.5%, the near infrared absorption issmall. When it exceeds 13%, the glass is degraded in devitrificationresistance. The content of Cu²⁺ is therefore preferably 0.5 to 13%, morepreferably 0.5 to 10%, still more preferably 0.5 to 5%, yet morepreferably 1 to 5%.

F⁻ is an essential anionic component in the optical glass I-B, and itdecreases the melting point of the glass and improves the glass inweathering resistance. Since the optical glass I-B contains F⁻, themelting temperature of the glass is decreased, the reduction of Cu²⁺ issuppressed and desired optical properties can be obtained. When thecontent of F⁻ is less than 17%, the glass is degraded in weatheringresistance. When it exceeds 80%, the content of O²⁻ decreases, so that acoloring around 400 nm takes place due to monovalent Cu⁺. The content ofF⁻ is therefore preferably adjusted to 17 to 80%. For further improvingthe glass in the above properties, it is more preferred to adjust thecontent of F⁻ to 25 to 55%, and it is still more preferred to adjust thesame to 30 to 50%.

O²⁻ is an important anionic component in the optical glass I-B, and O²⁻preferably constitutes the entire anionic component excluding F⁻. Thecontent of O²⁻ is therefore a content in the range obtained by deductingthe content of F⁻ in one of the above preferred ranges from 100%. Whenthe content of O²⁻ is too small, divalent Cu²⁺ is reduced to Cu⁺, sothat the absorption in a short wavelength region, in particular around400 nm, is intensified, and the color of the glass comes to be green.When the above content is too large, the viscosity of the glassincreases and the melting temperature increases, so that the glass isdegraded in transmittance.

Since Pb and As have strong harmful effects, it is desirable to use noneof them.

The optical glass I-B preferably has the following transmittanceproperties.

When the optical glass I-B has a certain thickness at which it exhibitsa transmittance of 50% at a wavelength of 615 nm in spectraltransmittance at a wavelength of 500 to 700 nm, the optical glass I-Bhas the following spectral transmittance properties at a wavelength of400 to 1,200 nm.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 400 nm is 78% or more, preferably80% or more, more preferably 83% or more, still more preferably 85% ormore.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 500 nm is 85% or more, preferably88% or more, more preferably 89% or more.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 600 nm is 51% or more, preferably55% or more, more preferably 56% or more.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 700 nm is 12% or less, preferably11% or less, more preferably 10% or less.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 800 nm is 5% or less, preferably 3%or less, more preferably 2.5% or less, still more preferably 2.2% orless, yet more preferably 2% or less.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 900 nm is 5% or less, preferably 3%or less, more preferably 2.5% or less, still more preferably 2.2% orless, yet more preferably 2% or less.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 1,000 nm is 7% or less, preferably6% or less, more preferably 5.5% or less, still more preferably 5% orless, yet more preferably 4.8% or less.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 1,100 nm is 12% or less, preferably11% or less, more preferably 10.5% or less, still more preferably 10% orless.

The transmittance at a wavelength of 1,200 nm is 23% or less, preferably22% or less, more preferably 21% or less, still more preferably 20% orless.

That is, the absorption of near infrared ray at a wavelength of 700 to1,200 is large, and the absorption of visible light at a wavelength of400 to 600 nm is small. The transmittance as used herein refers to avalue obtained by providing a glass sample having two optically polishedflat surfaces that are in parallel with each other, causing light toenter the glass sample through one of the flat surfaces at right angleswith the flat surface and dividing the intensity of light that comes outthrough the other of the above two flat surfaces with the intensity thatthe light has before caused to enter the sample. This transmittance isalso called “external transmittance”.

Based on the above properties, excellent color correction isaccomplished for a semiconductor image-sensing device such as CCD, CMOSor the like.

The optical glass of the present invention includes an optical glass(optical glass II) that is a fluoroborate glass or a fluorosilicateglass.

The optical glass II also contains fluorine and boron or silicon ascomponents in its glass raw materials, so that an easily volatilesubstance is generated by heating and melting the glass raw materials.Therefore, as is done in the case of the optical glass I that is thefluorophosphate glass, the easily volatile substance (volatilesubstance) is substantially removed before the production of a preformfrom a molten glass by shaping, whereby there can be reduced orprevented the occurrence of striae and the fluctuation of the refractiveindex which are caused by the volatilization of the volatile substanceduring the shaping. In the optical glass II, it can be also consideredthat the target of a glass from which the easily volatile substance issubstantially removed is a glass that has a refractive index nd⁽¹⁾ and arefractive index nd⁽²⁾ which are substantially equivalent to each other,more specifically, the absolute value of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ being 0.00300 orless, wherein the refractive index nd⁽²⁾ is a refractive index of theglass after the glass is re-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C.for 1 hour, cooled to its glass transition temperature and then cooledto 25° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 30° C./hour and therefractive index nd⁽¹⁾ is a refractive index of the glass that is nottreated as described hereinabove. The method of measurement ofrefractive indexes, the conditions for re-melting and preferred rangesof the above absolute value are the same as those explained with regardto the optical glass I.

In the optical glasses I and II, the volatile substance in each glass isremoved or decreased, so that it is arranged that a substance part ofwhich is taken away by the volatilization is introduced in a largeramount when glass raw material are prepared for a glass composition. Theabove glass composition is adjusted such that nd⁽¹⁾ comes to be adesired value while the absolute value of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ is adjusted to apredetermined value or less. A typical component whose content isdecreased by the volatilization is fluorine. With regard to othercomponents, the glass composition can be adjusted on the basis of theabove guiding principle depending upon an end glass composition.

The optical glass of the present invention is produced by melting glassraw materials under heat in a vessel, then, decreasing the concentrationof a volatile substance in the vessel, then causing the glass to flowout and shaping. Conditions for melting can be determined as requiredsuch that the absolute value of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ is 0.00300 or less.

During the shaping, a high-temperature glass is liable to react withwater in atmosphere, and the reaction degrades the glass in quality, sothat it is preferred to cause the glass flow out and shape it in dryatmosphere. The water content in the dry atmosphere is desirably acontent equivalent to a dew-point temperature of −30° C. or lower. Forthe atmosphere, an inert gas such as nitrogen, argon or the like can beused.

The thus-obtained glass shaped material is subjected to machineprocesses such as cutting, grinding, polishing, etc., to form apress-molding glass material or a precision press-molding preform to bedescribed in detail below, or to form an optical element such as a lens,a prism, a filter or the like.

[Precision Press-molding Preform and Process for the Production Thereof]

The precision press-molding preform of the present invention ischaracteristically formed of the above optical glass of the presentinvention. The precision press-molding preform as used herein refers toa material obtained by pre-shaping a glass having a weight equivalent tothe weight of a press-molded product into a form suitable for precisionpress-molding.

A fluorophosphate glass has the properties of having a large abrasiondegree and a large thermal expansion coefficient as compared with othergeneral optical glass. These properties are not desirable for polishing.When the abrasion degree is large, the accuracy of finishing is degradedand a polishing mark is liable to remain on the glass surface. Thepolishing is carried out while a grinding liquid is applied on theglass. When the grinding liquid is applied on the glass of which thetemperature is increased by polishing or when a glass having a polishingmark on a surface is poured into a wash liquid having an increasedtemperature during its ultrasonic cleaning, the glass is exposed to alarge change in temperature. Having a large thermal expansioncoefficient, a fluorophosphate glass is liable to have a problem that itis broken due to a thermal shock. It is therefore desirable to produceany one of a precision press-molding preform and an optical element by amethod that is not based on polishing. From this viewpoint, the entiresurface of a precision press-molding preform is desirably a surfaceformed by solidification of a glass in a molten state, and an opticalelement is desirably produced by precision press-molding.

When the entire surface of a preform is formed by solidification of aglass in a molten state, the breaking of the preform can be prevented ordecreased when the preform is washed or heated before precisionpress-molding.

The process for the production of a press-molding preform, provided bythe present invention, will be explained below.

The process for the production of a press-molding preform, provided bythe present invention, includes a first embodiment (to be referred to as“preform production process I” hereinafter) which comprises causing amolten glass to flow out of a pipe, separating a molten glass gob andshaping it into a preform during the cooling of the glass.

In the preform production process I and a preform production process IIto be described later, a molten glass can be prepared in the same manneras in the above production process of the optical glass of the presentinvention. A molten glass whose volatile substance concentration isreduced is caused to continuously flow, at a constant rate, out of apipe made of a platinum alloy or platinum which pipe is heated to apredetermined temperature. A molten glass gob having a weight of onepreform or a total weight of one preform and a portion to be removed aswill be described later is separated from the molten glass that hasflowed out. When the molten glass gob is separated, it is desirable notto use a cutting blade so that no cutting mark remains. For example,there is preferably employed a method in which a molten glass is causedto drop from the flow outlet of the pipe or a method in which theleading end of a molten glass flow that is flowing out is supported witha support member and the support member is rapidly moved downward at atime when a molten glass gob having a predetermined weight is separable,to separate the molten glass gob from the leading end of the moltenglass flow by utilizing the surface tension of the molten glass.

The separated molten glass gob is shaped into a desired form on/abovethe concave portion of a preform-shaping mold during the cooling of theglass. In this case, for preventing the formation of a crease on thepreform surface or the breaking called cracking of the glass during thecooling of the glass, it is preferred to carry out the shaping in astate where the glass gob is floated by applying a gas pressure upwardlyto the glass gob. The cooling of the above glass gob surface by blowingthe gas to the surface in this case is preferred for decreasing orpreventing the occurrence of striae.

After the temperature of the glass decreases to a temperature range inwhich an external force does not deform the preform, the preform istaken out of the preform shaping mold and gradually cooled.

For further decreasing the volatilization from the glass surface,preferably, the glass is caused to flow out, and the preform is shaped,in a dry atmosphere (dry nitrogen atmosphere, a dry air atmosphere, adry mixture gas atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen, or the like) asdescribed already.

The second embodiment (to be referred to as “preform production processII” hereinafter) of the process for the production of a press-moldingpreform, provided by the present invention, is a process for theproduction of a preform which comprises shaping a molten glass into aglass shaped material and machining the glass shaped material to producea preform formed of the optical glass of the present invention.

The above molten glass is prepared as described already. In the preformproduction process II, first, the molten glass is caused to continuouslyflow out of a pipe into a mold positioned below the pipe. The mold has aflat bottom portion, three side walls standing and surrounding thebottom portion and one open side. The mold is arranged and fixed suchthat the two side walls that are adjacent to the open side and stand onside edges of the bottom are opposed to each other in parallel, that thecenter of the bottom surface is positioned vertically below the pipe andthat the bottom surface is horizontal, the molten glass cast into themold is spread in a region surrounded with the side walls so as to havea uniform thickness, and after the molten glass is cooled, the glass iswithdrawn from the open side in the horizontal direction at a constantrate. The glass withdrawn is transferred to an annealing furnace andannealed. In this manner, there is obtained a plate-like glass-shapedmaterial formed of the optical glass of the present invention having aconstant width and a constant thickness. In this manner, there can beobtained a glass shaped material of which the surface striae are reducedor suppressed.

Then, the plate-like glass shaped material is cut or split to obtain aplurality of glass pieces called cut pieces, and these glass pieces areground and polished to finish press-molding preforms having an intendedweight each.

In another method, a cylindrical mold having a through hole is arrangedand fixed vertically below the pipe such that the central axis of thethrough hole is in the vertical direction. In this case, preferably, themold is arranged such that the central axis of the through hole ispositioned vertically below the pipe. And, the molten glass is caused toflow from the pipe into the through hole of the mold to fill the throughhole with the glass, and the glass solidified is withdrawn from theopening portion of lower end of the through hole in the verticallydownward direction at a constant rate and gradually cooled to obtain acolumnar-rod-like glass shaped material. The thus-obtained glass shapedmaterial is annealed and the annealed glass is cut or splitperpendicular to the central axis of the columnar-rod-shaped material toobtain a plurality of glass pieces. Then, the glass pieces are groundand polished to finish press-molding preforms having an intended weighteach. In this method also, preferably, the molten glass is caused toflow out, and the shaping is carried out, in a dry atmosphere asdescribed already. Further, in this method also, it is effective forreducing or preventing the occurrence of striae to promote the coolingof the glass by blowing gas onto the glass surface.

Both the preform production processes I and II are suitable as a processfor the production of a precision press-molding preform sincehigh-quality preforms having high weight accuracy can be produced.

In the preform production process II, a glass shaped material ismachined, so that not 100% of the glass shaped material is used for apreform. Since, however, the surface striae of the glass shaped materialcan be reduced or suppressed, the effective use volume of the glassshaped material can be increased. The material cost for thefluorophosphate glass among optical glasses is expensive, so that theproduction cost of preforms and optical elements can be decreased byeffective use of the glass.

The above preform can be produced from any one of the optical glasses Iand II of the present invention depending upon an end use.

[Optical Element and Process for the Production Thereof]

The optical element of the present invention is characteristicallyformed of the optical glass of the present invention. The opticalelement of the present invention is formed of the optical glass of thepresent invention, so that there can be provided an optical element thattakes advantage of the property of low dispersion. Further, the opticalelement of the present invention is formed of the glass excellent inwater resistance and chemical durability, so that according to thepresent invention there can be provided an optical element that is freefrom a failure such as fogging on the surface when it is used for a longperiod of time.

The optical element is not specially limited with regard to its kind,form, etc., while it is suitable for an aspherical lens, a sphericallens, a microlens, a lens array, a prism, a diffraction grating, a prismwith a lens, a lens with a diffraction grating and the like.

When viewed from use, the optical element is suitable for an opticalelement constituting an image-sensing device, such as a lens for adigital camera or a lens for a camera of a cellphone with the camera, anoptical pickup lens, a collimator lens or the like.

An optical thin film such as an anti-reflection film may be formed onthe optical element surface as required.

The process for the production of an optical element, provided by thepresent invention, will be explained below.

The process for the production of an optical element, provided by thepresent invention, comprises heating the precision press-molding preformof the present invention or a precision press-molding preform producedby the preform production process of the present invention and precisionpress-molding the preform in a press mold.

The above precision press-molding is also called “mold optics” and wellknown in the field of this art. In an optical element, the surface thattransmits, refracts, diffracts or reflects light is called an opticalfunction surface (when a lens is taken as an example, lens surfaces suchas the aspherical surface of an aspherical lens, the spherical surfaceof a spherical lens, etc., correspond to the optical function surface).According to the precision press-molding, the optical function surfacecan be formed by accurately transferring the form of molding surface ofa press mold to a glass, and it is not required to apply machineprocesses such as grinding, polishing, etc., for finishing the opticalfunction surface.

The process for the production of an optical element, provided by thepresent invention, is therefore suitable for producing optical elementssuch as a lens, a lens array, a diffraction grating, a prism, etc., andit is in particular suitable for producing aspherical lenses highlyproductively.

According to the process for the production of an optical element,provided by the present invention, optical elements having the aboveoptical properties can be produced, and since the glass has a low glasstransition temperature (Tg), the press-molding temperature can bedecreased, so that damage on the molding surface of a press mold can bedecreased and that the lifetime of the mold can be hence increased.Further, since the glass constituting the preform has high stability,the devitrification in the steps of re-heating and pressing can beeffectively prevented. Further, a series of steps starting with themelting of the glass and ending with the obtaining of a final productcan be highly productively carried out.

As a press mold for use in the precision press-molding, there can beused a known press mold such as a press mold obtained by forming a moldrelease film on the molding surface of a mold material formed of arefractory ceramics such as silicon carbide, zirconia, alumina or thelike. Above all, a press mold formed of silicon carbide is preferred,and a carbon-containing film or the like can be used as a mold releasefilm. From the viewpoint of durability and a cost, a carbon film ispreferred.

In the precision press-molding, it is preferred to employ an atmosphereof a non-oxidizing gas for the molding so that the molding surface ofthe press mold is maintained under an excellent condition. Thenon-oxidizing gas is preferably selected from nitrogen or a mixture ofnitrogen with hydrogen.

The precision press-molding for use in the process for the production ofan optical element, provided by the present invention, includes thefollowing two embodiments of precision press-molding 1 and precisionpress-molding 2.

(Precision Press-molding 1)

The precision press-molding 1 is a method in which a preform isintroduced into a press mold and the preform and the press mold areheated together to carry out precision press-molding.

In the precision press-molding 1, preferably, the above press mold andthe above preform are heated together to a temperature at which theglass constituting the preform exhibits a viscosity of 10⁶ to 10¹² dPa·sto carry out precision press-molding.

Further, a press-molded product is desirably taken out of the press moldafter cooled to a temperature at which the above glass preferablyexhibits a viscosity of 10¹² dPa·s or more, more preferably 10¹⁴ dPa·sor more, still more preferably 10¹⁶ dPa·s or more.

Under the above conditions, not only the form of molding surface of thepress mold can be accurately transferred to the glass, but also theprecision press-molded product can be taken out without any deformation.

(Precision Press-molding 2)

The precision press-molding 2 is a method in which a pre-heated preformis introduced into a press mold separately pre-heated, to carry outprecision press-molding.

In the precision press-molding 2, the preform is pre-heated beforeintroduced into the molded, so that an optical element having excellentsurface accuracy free of surface defects can be produced while the cycletime can be decreased.

The pre-heating temperature for the press mold is preferably set at atemperature lower than the pre-heating temperature for the preform. Byso setting the pre-heating temperature for the press mold, the abrasionof the press mold can be decreased.

In the precision press-molding 2, the above preform is preferablypreheated to a temperature at which the glass constituting the preformexhibits a viscosity of 10⁹ dPa·s or less, more preferably 10⁹ dPa·s.

Further, it is preferred to pre-heat the above preform while it isfloated, and while the preform is floated, it is more preferablypre-heated to a temperature at which the glass constituting the preformexhibits a viscosity of 10^(5.5) to 10⁹ dPa·s, still more preferably,10^(5.5) to less than 10⁹ dPa·s.

Further, it is preferred to initiate the cooling of the glasssimultaneously with, or some time after, the start of pressing.

While the temperature of the press mold is adjusted to a temperaturelower than the above pre-heating temperature for the preform, atemperature at which the above glass exhibits a viscosity of 10⁹ to 10¹²dPa·s can be used as an index.

In the above method, it is preferred to cool a precision press-moldedproduct to a temperature at which the above glass exhibits a viscosityof 10¹² dPa·s or less before the product is taken out.

An optical element obtained by the precision press-molding is taken outof the press mold and gradually cooled as required. When the precisionpress-molded product is an optical element, an optical thin film may becoated on the surface as required.

While the process for the production of an optical element, provided bythe present invention, is as described above, the optical element of thepresent invention can be also produced by other method. For example, itcan be produced by causing a molten glass to flow out to form a glassshaped material, annealing the glass shaped material and then machiningit. Further, optical elements such as various lenses can be alsoproduced by slicing the already described columnar rod-like glass shapedmaterial at right angles with the columnar axis and grinding andpolishing the thus-obtained columnar glass pieces.

For the above optical elements, one of the optical glasses I and II canbe used depending upon purposes.

EXAMPLES

The present invention will be explained further in detail with referenceto Examples hereinafter, while the present invention shall not belimited by these Examples.

Example 1 Preparation Example of Optical Glass

As glass raw materials, phosphate, fluoride, etc., corresponding toglass components were prepared and the glass raw materials were weighedso as to obtain a glass having a composition shown in Table 1 or 2 andfully mixed.

The above-obtained raw materials were melted in a platinum crucible at850° C. for 1 hour, and the melt was rapidly cooled and pulverized toobtain rough melt cullet. The rough melt cullet in an amount of 10 kgwas charged into a platinum crucible and after the crucible was tightlysealed with a cover, the cullet was melted by heating it to 900° C.Then, a fully dried gas was introduced into the platinum crucible, andwhile the dry atmosphere was maintained, the molten glass was refined at1,100° C. for 2 hours. The dry gas can be selected, for example, frominert gases such as nitrogen, a gas mixture of an inert gas with oxygenor oxygen.

After the refining, the glass temperature was decreased to 850° C. whichwas lower than the refining temperature, and then the glass was causedto flow out through a pipe connected to a bottom of the crucible. Thegas introduced into the crucible was cleaned through a filter anddischarged to an outside. In each of the above steps, the glass in thecrucible was stirred for a uniform glass.

The thus-obtained molten glass was cast into a mold made of carbon in adry nitrogen atmosphere. The cast glass was allowed to cool to a glasstransition temperature and immediately thereafter the glass was placedin an annealing furnace, annealed at a temperature around the glasstransition temperature for 1 hour and gradually cooled in the annealingfurnace to room temperature. In this manner, optical glasses Nos. 1 to11 shown in Tables 1 and 2 were obtained.

The obtained optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 were observed by magnificationthrough a microscope to show none of a precipitated crystal and anon-melted raw material.

The thus-obtained optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 were measured forrefractive indexes (nd), Abbe's numbers (νd) and glass transitiontemperatures (Tg) as follows. Tables 1 and 2 show the measurementresults.

(1) Refractive Index (nd) and Abbe's Number (νd)

Optical glasses obtained at a gradually cooling rate of −30° C./hourwere used for the measurements of refractive indexes (nd) and Abbe'snumbers (νd).

With regard to refractive indexes (nd), values obtained by measuring theoptical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 under the above conditions were used asnd⁽¹⁾. The optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 were re-melted, cooled and thenmeasured for refractive indexes nd⁽²⁾ as follows.

30 Grams of an optical glass was introduced into a crucible made ofglassy carbon in a quartz glass chamber having a volume of 2 liters andhaving dry nitrogen gas introduced therein at a rate of 2 liters/minute,and the chamber was heated to 900° C., followed by re-melting of theglass at this temperature for 1 hour. Then, the glass was cooled to atemperature around a glass transition temperature in the chamber andthen cooled to room temperature at a temperature decrease rate of −30°C./hour. The optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 obtained in this manner weremeasured for refractive indexes nd⁽²⁾.

Tables 1 and 2 show values of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ and absolute values ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ with regard to the optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11.

(2) Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)

Each glass was measured for a glass transition temperature (Tg) with anapparatus for thermomechanical analysis supplied by Rigaku Corporationat a temperature elevation rate of 4° C./minute.

TABLE 1 No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 (Cationic %) P⁵⁺ 26.0 27.0 29.0 25.9 24.9 14.0Al³⁺ 20.0 21.0 11.0 21.0 20.0 29.4 Mg²⁺ 10.0 7.3 8.0 7.5 6.5 3.9 Ca²⁺14.0 9.1 10.0 9.4 8.1 22.4 Sr²⁺ 15.0 15.6 17.0 15.9 13.8 14.5 Ba²⁺ 10.011.0 12.0 11.3 9.7 8.2 Li⁺ 4.0 8.0 12.0 8.0 16.0 5.0 Y³⁺ 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.01.0 2.6 La³⁺ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Gd³⁺ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (Anionic %) F⁻ 64.1 62.1 56.5 63.563.4 81.5 O²⁻ 35.9 37.9 43.5 36.5 36.6 18.5 F⁻/ 0.641 0.621 0.565 0.6350.634 0.815 (F⁻ + O²⁻) nd⁽¹⁾ 1.50098 1.50674 1.52147 1.50204 1.498851.4679 nd⁽²⁾ 1.50178 1.50744 1.52211 1.50277 1.49966 1.46888 nd⁽²⁾ −nd⁽¹⁾ 0.0008 0.0007 0.00064 0.00073 0.00081 0.00098 | nd⁽²⁾ − 0.00080.0007 0.00064 0.00073 0.00081 0.00098 nd⁽¹⁾ | Abbe's 81.2 80.2 76.781.0 81.0 89.1 number (νd) Glass 429 417 375 406 375 404 transitiontemperature (° C.)

TABLE 2 No. 7 8 9 10 11 (Cationic %) P⁵⁺ 38.0 38.0 29.0 29.0 29.0 Al³⁺9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 9.0 Mg²⁺ 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 Ca²⁺ 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0Sr²⁺ 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 Ba²⁺ 16.0 16.0 23.0 23.0 23.0 Li⁺ 21.0 21.021.0 21.0 21.0 Y³⁺ 1.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 La³⁺ 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 Gd³⁺ 0.00.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (Anionic %) F⁻ 33.527.4 42.9 42.9 42.9 O²⁻ 66.5 72.6 57.1 57.1 57.1 F⁻/ 0.335 0.274 0.4290.429 0.429 (F⁻ + O²⁻) nd⁽¹⁾ 1.5549 1.5549 1.55067 1.55276 1.55221 nd⁽²⁾1.55541 1.55541 1.55132 1.5535 1.55292 nd⁽²⁾ − nd⁽¹⁾ 0.00051 0.000510.00065 0.00074 0.00071 | nd⁽²⁾ − 0.00051 0.00051 0.00065 0.000740.00071 nd⁽¹⁾ | Abbe' s 71.0 71.0 72.1 71.8 71.8 number (νd) Glass 374374 367 366 368 transition temperature (° C.)

As shown in Tables 1 and 2, all the optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 of thepresent invention had desired refractive indexes, Abbe's numbers andglass transition temperatures and exhibited excellent low-temperaturesoftening properties and meltability, and they were suitable as opticalglasses for press molding.

Further, all of the values of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ and absolute values ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ were smaller than 0.00300.

Example 2 Preparation Example of Optical Glass

As glass raw materials, phosphate, fluoride, oxide, etc., correspondingto glass components were prepared and the glass raw materials wereweighed so as to obtain a glass having a composition No. 12 or 13 shownin Table 3 and fully mixed. The thus-prepared glass materials werecharged into a platinum crucible and the crucible was tightly sealed.While the glass raw materials were stirred at 790 to 850° C. in anelectric furnace, the raw materials were heated and melted, and the meltwas refined and temperature-decreased, in the same manner as in Example1, followed by starting of causing the molten glass to flow out. A gasdischarged from the crucible was cleaned through a filter and dischargedto an outside.

The thus-obtained molten glass was cast into a mold made of carbon andthe resultant glass was allowed to cool to a glass transitiontemperature. Immediately thereafter the glass was placed in an annealingfurnace, annealed at a temperature around the glass transitiontemperature for 1 hour and gradually cooled to room temperature. In thismanner, optical glasses Nos. 12 and 13 shown in Table 3 were obtained.Table 3 shows glass the transition temperatures (Tg) of the opticalglasses Nos. 12 and 13 and transmittances thereof at a typicalwavelength. The transmittance refers to a value obtained when an opticalglass having a certain thickness exhibits a transmittance of 50% at awavelength of 615 nm. The above thickness of the optical glass No. 12was 1.0 mm, and the above thickness of the optical glass No. 13 was 0.45mm. In addition, the transmittance measurement was carried out with aspectrophotometer with regard to samples having the form of a flat plateeach and having opposed two surfaces optically polished.

With regard to the optical glasses Nos. 12 and 13, the values ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ were smaller than 0.00300 and the absolute values ofnd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ were also smaller than 0.00300.

TABLE 3 12 13 Cationic % P⁵⁺ 27.8 28.8 Al³⁺ 18.2 13.9 Li⁺ 20.4 23.3 Na⁺0.0 7.4 K⁺ 0.0 0.0 R⁺ 20.4 30.7 Mg²⁺ 6.0 3.1 Ca²⁺ 9.4 6.5 Sr²⁺ 10.9 4.7Ba²⁺ 6.1 4.0 R′²⁺ 32.4 18.3 Zn²⁺ 0.0 5.3 R″²⁺ 32.4 23.6 Y³⁺ 0.0 0.0 CU²⁺1.2 3.0 Total 100.0 100.0 Anionic% F⁻ 48.4 40.9 O²⁻ 51.6 59.1 Total100.0 100.0 nd⁽¹⁾ 1.51314 1.52115 Glass transition 370 330 temperature(Tg)) (° C.) Transmittance (%)  400 nm 88 85  500 nm 91 90  600 nm 64 59 615 nm 50 50  700 nm 10 7  800 nm 2 1  900 nm 2 1 1000 nm 5 3 1100 nm10 9 1200 nm 19 19 Thickness (mm) 1.0 0.45 (Notes) R⁺ stands for a totalcontent of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺. R′²⁺ stands for a total content of Mg²⁺,Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺. R″²⁺ stands for a total content of R′²⁺ and Zn²⁺.

Comparative Example 1

Glass raw materials were melted so as to obtain a glass of ComparativeExample 1 shown in Table 4 without causing any dry inert gas to flow ina crucible. Further, a continuous melting furnace having a volume of 50liters was used. The melting temperature was set a 1,100° C. and theglass was allowed to reside in the furnace for 20 hours after themelting was started and before the molten glass was caused to flow out.When a glass was produced from the thus-prepared molten glass in thesame manner as in the above procedures, nd⁽²⁾ was greatly increasedrelative to nd⁽¹⁾ and the absolute value of nd⁽²⁾−nd⁽¹⁾ was greater than0.00300 as shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4 Comparative Example 1 (Cationic %) P⁵⁺ 28.0 Al³⁺ 21.0 Li⁺ 0.0Na⁺ 0.0 K⁺ 0.0 R⁺ 0.0 Mg²⁺ 8.0 Ca²⁺ 14.0 Sr²⁺ 16.0 Ba²⁺ 12.0 R′²⁺ 50.0Y³⁺ 1.0 Total 100.0 (Anionic %) F⁻ 63.0 O²⁻ 37.0 Total 100.0 nd⁽¹⁾1.49644 nd⁽²⁾ 1.50308 nd⁽²⁾ − nd⁽¹⁾ 0.00664 nd⁽²⁾ − nd⁽¹⁾ 0.00664 Abbe'snumber (νd) 81.6 Glass transition 455 temperature (° C.) (Notes) R⁺stands for a total content of Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺. R′²⁺ stands for a totalcontent of Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺.

Example 3 Preparation Example of Preform

Precision press-molding preforms were produced from molten glasses ofthe optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 and the glass of Comparative Example 1as follows. A molten glass was caused to flow, at a constant rate, outof a pipe made of platinum that was temperature-adjusted to atemperature range in which the molten glass was stably flowable withoutany devitrification of the glass, and a molten glass gob having a weightof an intended preform was separated by a dropping method or a method inwhich the leading end of the molten glass flow was supported with asupport and the support was rapidly moved downward to separate a glassgob. Then, the molten glass gob was received with a receiving moldhaving a gas ejection port in a bottom and shaped into a preform whilethe glass gob was floated by ejecting a gas from the gas ejection port.The thus-obtained preforms had the form of a sphere or a compressedsphere by adjusting or setting the interval of molten glass gobseparation. The thus-obtained preforms had weights accurately equivalentto values set, and the entire surface of each was a smooth surfaceformed by solidification of the glass in a molten state.

Then, the insides of the preforms were observed. No striae were found inthe optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 of the present invention, while clearstriae were spokewise found on the surface of the glass of ComparativeExample 1.

Separately, preforms were produced from the molten glasses as follows. Amolten glass was cast into a casting mold and shaped into a plate-likeglass or a circular rod-like glass while the cooling of the glass waspromoted by blowing a dry gas on to the glass surface, and the shapedglass was annealed and then cut to obtain a glass piece. The cut piecewas ground and polished to obtain a preform of which the entire surfacewas smooth. In this case, no striae were found on the surfaces of thethus-obtained plate-like glasses or circular rod-shaped glasses obtainedby casting the molten glasses obtained by replacing the atmosphere,while striae were found on the surfaces of glasses obtained withoutreplacing the atmosphere.

Example 4 Preparation Example of Optical Element

Preforms formed of the optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11, obtained in Example3, were precision press-molded with a pressing apparatus shown in FIG. 1to give aspherical lenses. Specifically, a press mold having an uppermold member 1, a lower mold member 2 and a sleeve 3 was provided, and apreform 4 was set between the lower mold member 2 and the upper moldmember 1. Then, a nitrogen atmosphere was provided inside a quartz tube11, and a heater 12 was powered to heat the interior of the quartz tube11. The temperature inside the press mold was set at a temperature atwhich the glass to be molded exhibited a viscosity of 10⁸ to 10¹⁰ dPa·s,and while this temperature was maintained, a pressing rod 13 was moveddownward to press the upper mold member 1 to press the preform set inthe mold. The pressing was carried out at a pressure of 8 MPa for apress time period of 30 seconds. Then, the pressure for the pressing wasremoved, and while the glass molded product obtained by press moldingwas in contact with the lower mold member 2 and the upper mold 1, it wasgradually cooled to a temperature at which the glass exhibited aviscosity of at least 10¹² dPa·s. Then, the glass molded product wasrapidly cooled to room temperature and then taken out of the mold togive an aspherical lens. The aspherical lenses obtained in the abovemanner had remarkably high surface accuracy.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 9 indicates a support rod, 10 indicates alower mold member and sleeve holder and 14 indicates a thermocouple.

An anti-reflection film was formed on each of the aspherical lensesobtained by the precision press-molding as required.

Example 5 Preparation Example of Optical Element

Preforms formed of the optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11, obtained in Example3, were precision press-molded by the following method different fromthe method in Example 4. In this method, first, a preform was pre-heatedto a temperature at which the glass constituting the preform exhibited aviscosity of 10⁸ dPa·s while the preform was floated. Separately, apress mold having an upper mold member, a lower mold member and a sleevewas heated to a temperature at which the glass constituting the abovepreform exhibited a viscosity of 10⁹ to 10¹², and the above pre-heatedpreform was introduced into a cavity of the press mold and precisionpress-molded at 10 MPa. Concurrently with the start of the pressing, thecooling of the glass and the press mold was started, and the cooling wascontinued until the molded glass had a viscosity of at least 10¹² dPa·s.Then, a molded product was taken out of the mold to give an asphericallens. Aspherical lenses in the above manner had remarkably high surfaceaccuracy.

An anti-reflection film was formed on each of the aspherical lensesobtained by the precision press-molding as required. In the abovemanner, optical elements formed of the optical glasses having highinternal quality were highly productively and highly accuratelyproduced.

Example 6 Preparation Example of Plate-like Glass and Optical Element

Each of molten glasses of the optical glasses Nos. 1 to 11 wascontinuously cast from a pipe into a mold separately and shaped into aplate-like glass in a dry nitrogen atmosphere, and the shaped glass wasgradually cooled. When an inside of each of these glasses was observed,no striae were found.

Then, the above plate-like glasses were cut, ground and polished toprepare press-molding materials. These materials were softened underheat and press-molded to obtain optical element blanks. The blanks weregradually cooled, ground and polished to give spherical lenses.

An anti-reflection film may be formed on each of the above opticalelements or a near infrared reflecting film may be coated on each ofthem.

Example 7

Preforms, plate-like glasses and circular rod-shaped glasses formed ofthe above optical glasses Nos. 12 and 13 were prepared by the methodsdescribed in above Examples 3, 6, and the like. Then, the plate-likeglass formed of the optical glass No. 12 was sliced and processed in theform of a flat plate, and main surfaces which were in parallel with eachother were optically polished to obtain a 1.0 mm thick near infraredabsorbing filter. The thus-obtained near infrared absorbing filter wasattached to a quartz flat plate (whose main surfaces in parallel witheach other were optically polished) and two flat plates of an opticalglass (borosilicate glass BK-7)), to produce a composite filter havingboth the function of a near infrared absorbing filter and the functionof a low-pass filter, the composite filter being to be incorporated intoan image-sensing device.

Similarly, the plate-like glass formed of the optical glass No. 13 wassliced and both surfaces of an obtained glass piece were opticallypolished to obtain a 0.45 mm thick flat plate. This flat plate wasattached to a quartz flat plate and an optical glass (borosilicateglass) plate to obtain a composite filter.

Composite filters may be obtained by slicing the circular rod-shapedglasses formed of the optical glass No. 12 or 13, optically polishingboth surfaces of the thus-obtained glass piece and stacking theresultant flat plate, a quartz flat plate and an optical glass(borosilicate glass BK-7) flat plate.

Then, the preforms formed of the optical glasses Nos. 12 and 13 wereprecision press-molded to give aspherical lenses having the function ofnear infrared absorption.

Various optical elements obtained by the above methods were alloptically uniform and were free of striae.

Industrial Utility

According to the present invention, there can be obtained afluorine-containing optical glass free of striae. And, there can beobtained an optical glass having the property of low dispersion, havinga low glass transition temperature and having the property of beingsoftened at a low temperature so that precision press-molding is carriedout, and precision press-molding preforms and optical elements such asvarious lenses can be produced from the above optical glass.

1. A process for producing an optical element, which comprises machininga glass shaped material formed of an optical glass that is afluorine-containing glass that exhibits a transmittance except forreflection loss at a sample surface, measured in a sample 10 mm thickhaving two flat surfaces parallel with each other at a wavelength of 400nm to 2,000 nm, of 80% or more, and has a refractive index nd(1),wherein the absolute value of nd(2)−nd(1) is 0.00300 or less, saidrefractive index nd(2) being a refractive index of thefluorine-containing glass after the fluorine-containing glass isre-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C. for 1 hour, cooled to itsglass transition temperature and then cooled to 25° C. at a temperaturedecrease rate of 30° C./hour.
 2. The process for producing an opticalelement as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluorine-containing glass isa fluorophosphate glass.
 3. The process for producing an optical elementas recited in claim 2, wherein the fluorophosphate glass comprises, bycationic %, 5 to 50% of P⁵⁺, 0.1 to 40% of Al³⁺, 0 to 20% of Mg²⁺, 0 to25% of Ca²⁺, 0 to 30% of Sr²⁺, 0 to 30% of Ba²⁺, 0 to 30% of Li⁺, 0 to10%of Na⁺, 0 to 10%of K⁺, 0 to 10% of Y³⁺, 0 to 5% of La³⁺ and 0 to 5%of Gd³⁺.
 4. The process for producing an optical element as recited inclaim 2, wherein the molar ratio of content of F⁻ to the total contentof F⁻ and O²⁻ in the fluorophosphate flass, F⁻/(F⁻+O²⁻), is from 0.25 to0.95.
 5. The process for producing an optical element as recited inclaim 3, wherein the fluorophosphate glass contains 2 to 30 cationic %of Li⁺.
 6. The process for producing an optical element as recited inclaim 1, wherein the fluorine-containing glass has a refractive indexnd⁽¹⁾ of 1.40000 to 1.60000 and an Abbe's number (vd) of 67 or more.